This month the biggest celebrations in Australian beer took place, and some of the strongest players were not shy putting their best new flavours forward.
Current titleholder of the #1 beer on the GABS Top100 for 2021, Canberra’s BentSpoke Brewing Co has launched Hop Wheeler in collaboration with Yakima Chief Hops, as part of its ‘Freewheeling’ series celebrating collaborations within the beer community.
Hop Wheeler uses Simcoe, Idaho 7, Ahtanum, Citra, and HBC 586 hops from Yakima Chief Hops – a co-op of family farms in America’s Pacific north-west. Its aroma profile is described as ripe paw-paw and mango, passionfruit and subtle notes of pineapple, berry and candy, with an ABV of 6.8 per cent and IBU of 35.
“‘Freewheelers Series’ is a chance for experimentation, collaboration and celebration of what it means to be part of the beer community,” says Richard Watkins, BentSpoke brewing co-founder and head brewer.
BentSpoke also found its way onto the winners podium – on several occasions – at the recent Australian International Beer Awards, in Melbourne. The AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world, drawing more than 2,600 entries and 400 brewers from 26 countries to compete across 24 categories.
The awards are judged and blind tested by industry peers, focusing on finding and awarding excellence in the industry.
BentSpoke took home gold in Best Traditional IPA for Sprocket, and Best American Style IPA for Crankshaft. It also found three silver awards, in best American Style Traditional IPA, best Australian Style Pale Ale and New World Style Pale Ale, plus a bronze for best Australia Style Lager.
Australian artisan chocolatier Koko Black has teamed up with award-winning brewer Modus Operandi for another collaboration celebrating the best of both brands, launching Koko Black x MODUS Choc Hazelnut Belgain Stout in May.
It is said to be inspired by Koko Black’s ‘Nuts to Caramel Collection’ and features additions of hazelnut and heavenly Belgian couverture chocolate.
The beer is a crafted, full-bodied Belgian stout with ABV of 6.9 per cent.
Australia’s original craft brewer, Coopers, has released its top-selling Stout in a can amid reports sales volumes of the tried and tested drop are approaching historic highs.
The recipe has been in constant production since 1879. Sales peaked in the ‘50s at more than four million litres annually.
In 2020 Coopers sold 3.7 million litres of Stout, representing a rise of 10 per cent on 2019. Anticipating the “traditional winter surge” the brewer has produced a canned version. It will remain also available in bottle format and draught.
“Demand for Stout declined after 1975, with sales dipping to below two million litres in the early 1990s, however we’re now back in the midst of a Stout revival and the popularity of beer in cans is rising markedly,” says Coopers managing director, Dr Tim Cooper.
“We expect the new can will build on the resurgence of Stout and edge us even closer to four million litres of sales for the first time in 70 years.”
As more people rekindle their appreciation for Stout or discover it for the first time, Coopers suggests both men and women are enjoying it, as both a standalone drink or a mixer.
The high gravity brew embodies an abundance of roasted malt and luscious fruit and chocolate flavours, lending it to be enjoyed on its own or mixed with lemonade, ale, champagne, vodka, cream liqueur, rum or whiskey.
Popular Stout combinations:
- Portagaff – 70% Coopers Best Extra Stout and 30% Lemonade
- Black and Tan – 50% Coopers Best Extra Stout and 50% Coopers Pale Ale
- Black Russian – Coopers Best Extra Stout with ½ measure Vodka and ½ measure Kahlua
- Black Velvet – 50% Coopers Best Extra Stout and 50% Champagne
- Stoutia – Coopers Best Extra Stout plus full measure of Tia Maria
- Stout and Stormy – Coopers Best Extra Stout plus full measure of dark rum
